Fasten stair runners onto tack strips nailed to the stairs.
Stair runners are long, narrow strips of carpet designed to "run" up the center of a flight of stairs. Runners help with noise reduction and insulation, or are for decoration. You can install decorative rods, usually screwed into the wood of the stair, over the fastened stair runner if desired. Stair runners fasten more securely than decorative runner rods. Home improvement and hardware stores offer the necessary supplies for installing the runner to your stairs. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the runner's width. Saw the tack strips 1 1/2 inches narrower than the runner width. Figure one strip for the bottom of every riser and one strip for the back of every tread. The riser is the portion of the stair that faces you when you're standing in front of a staircase. The tread is the flat portion of the stair where you walk.
2. Measure the cut tack strip's length. Determine the halfway measurement by dividing the length measurement by two. Draw a pencil mark at the center of each strip.
3. Measure the tread widths. Determine the center by dividing the tread width by two. Draw a mark on the center of each tread beside the "crack" where the tread joins the riser. Draw a mark on the center of each riser, 1 inch down from the "lip" of the outside stair edge, or from the outside stair edge.
4. Measure about 1 1/2 inch away from the tread back and center the tack strip with the tacks facing the riser. The center mark on the strip should line up with the mark on the tread center. Hammer the strip to the tread. Repeat for all treads.
5. Measure up on the riser 1 inch from the "crack" where the top of the riser meets the tread. Center a tack strip with the tacks facing down to the tread below, aligning the center pencil mark on the strip with the mark drawn on the riser. Hammer the strip to the riser. Repeat for all risers.
6. Measure from the "crack" of the tread and riser across the step to the strip attached to the riser to determine the length of the carpet pad rectangles. Use this length and the width as the runner to cut a pad for each tread. The pad must wrap over the outside tread edge and rest over the strip on each riser.
7. Install a pad on top of a tread by aligning the pad's back edge over the tack strip on the back of the tread. Staple the pad to the strip every 3 inches and in the corners.
8. Arrange the pad over the step and against the strip attached to the top of the riser. If the tread has a protruding lip, wrap the pad over the lip and down against the strip. Staple the pad every 3 inches to the strip and through the pad corners. Repeat for every tread.
9. Lay the runner with the pile facing you. Begin runner installation at the top of the stairs. Center the runner up against the top of the first riser or under the lip of the first step. Apply carpet glue along the runner edge if it isn't finished with an overlapping stitch. Hammer a carpet tack through the runner at each corner and spaced 4 inches apart.
10. Smooth the runner flat against the riser. Place a blunt chisel against the riser, directly over the "crack" where the riser meets the tread below. Use a rubber mallet to hammer the chisel and carpet into the crack between the tack strip and riser.
11. Staple every 2 inches across the "crack" affixing the runner into the crack. Repeat the insertion of the runner into the cracks, stapling the runner to the wood beneath.
12. Fold an unfinished runner edge under, or align the finished end with the bottom of the last riser where the riser meets the floor or carpet. If the floor has carpet, insert the runner between the carpet and the riser. Hammer tacks into each runner corner and spaced every 4 inches across the runner end.
Tags: tack strip, every inches, center each, crack where, mark center, mark center each